James Dickinson
Partner
James Dickinson is an Advocate of the Royal Court of Jersey and admitted to practice as an English solicitor and as a solicitor of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. He established James Dickinson & Co in March 2009 and, together with James Gleeson, established Dickinson Gleeson in August 2010.
About James
James has over 20 years’ experience of dealing with complex commercial disputes in Jersey and other offshore/international jurisdictions. He has a wide-ranging commercial litigation practice which encompasses asset recovery, trust and estate disputes, shareholder and other corporate disputes and cases involving the restraint of use of improperly obtained information. James acts for ultra HNWI, HNWI, financial institutions, law firms, executors, settlors, trustees and beneficiaries. He has also acted as an expert witness and regularly appears before Jersey’s senior courts.
Since moving to Jersey in 1999 he has acted for clients involved in some of the largest and most complex proceedings to come before the Royal Court including Mayo v Cantrade (settled by payment of USD38.5 million), Koonmen v Bender (relating to entitlements to a USD140 million employee benefit trust), the Teighmore litigation (in relation to the ownership of the “Shard of Glass”) and the Alhamrani litigation (a substantial breach of trust claim that was settled on the 102nd day of the trial).
More recently James has been involved in a range of cutting edge Jersey cases including establishing Jersey’s test for the admission of fresh evidence post trial but pre-judgment ([2016] JRC 190), one of Jersey’s first statutory Hastings Bass and mistake cases ([2016] JRC 048) and establishing that a common intention constructive trust may (as a matter of Jersey law) be established over a loan account to a Jersey company ([2017] JRC108).
James Dickinson has for many years been ranked in leading legal directories including Chambers and Partners, the Legal 500, the Citywealth Leaders’ List and Who’s Who Legal. James has variously been described as “ferociously bright”, “a first rate litigator”, “collaborative and a superb tactician”, and as a person who “thrives on complex heavy cases”, “works phenomenally hard for his clients and is a real bruiser in Court” and who “offers prompt, high quality and pragmatic legal advice”. He appears in Legal Week’s list of “Private Client Global Elite” lawyers, is listed in the Legal 500’s Hall of Fame (after years of consistently being ranked by the Legal 500 as a leading dispute resolution lawyer) and is listed by Citywealth as one of its “Top 20 Lawyers for 2020” and one of Jersey’s “Top 20 Professionals”.
James is an overseas member of the Chancery Bar Association.
What They Say About James
2020 - 2021
Leading Individual
“James Dickinson is well regarded for his broad commercial practice where he possesses particular capabilities on contentious trust and asset recovery cases. “He works extraordinarily hard and goes the extra mile.”
Chambers & Partners
Ranked in the following lists:-
- Leaders List
- Top 20 lawyers for 2020
- Top 100 trust litigators and polymaths
- Jersey’s Top 20 Professionals
“Executes, perfect strategies, marshalling insight and style. Organised and inventive.”
Citywealth
Hall of Fame
“James Dickinson is extraordinarily hard working, and very bright. He wants to understand everything and attains a really strong grasp of the factual issues and legal nuances of a case. Not afraid to get stuck in and robust on his feet. Extremely thorough in his preparations and devastatingly effective in court.”
Legal 500
Private Client Global Elite
Legal Week
Top Recommended 2020, Offshore
Spears 500
Global Leader
Who’s Who Legal
Asset Recovery Directory
Litigation Directory
2019 - 2020
Leading Individual
“James Dickinson is an “excellent advocate” who is sought after for expertise in trusts litigation, asset recovery, estates matters and fraud. He is described by one source as “a clever guy who really thinks outside the box.”
Chambers & Partners
Ranked in the following lists:-
- Leaders List
- Jersey’s Top 20 Professionals
Citywealth
Hall of Fame
‘James Dickinson is a seriously clever chap who comes up with imaginative solutions to the most horrible legal problems.’
‘James Dickinson is able, sensible and very articulate.’
‘James Dickinson works exceptionally hard for his clients. He takes complex litigation in his stride and assembles detailed facts and arguments into a clear and persuasive form.’
‘James Dickinson remains impressively hardworking, focused and committed and continues to offer prompt, high quality and pragmatic legal advice.’
Legal 500
Private Client Global Elite
Legal Week
Global Leader
Who’s Who Legal
Asset Recovery Directory
Litigation Directory
2018 - 2019
Leading Individual
“James Dickinson is described by market sources as a “master of complex material” He is frequently called upon to represent clients in trust litigation.”
Chambers & Partners
Leaders List
Citywealth
Leading Individual
“Highly recommended.”
Legal 500
Private Client Global Elite
Legal Week
Global Leader
Who’s Who Legal
Asset Recovery Directory
Litigation Directory
2017 - 2018
Leading Individual
“…Impressively hard-working, focused and committed, and offers prompt, high-quality and pragmatic legal advice.”
Chambers & Partners
Leaders List
Listed in Summer 2017 Top 50 Editor’s Choice List
“He demonstrates keen awareness of his clients’ priorities in relation to their cases and provides them with robust and perceptive strategic advice.”
Citywealth
Leading Individual
‘Works phenomenally hard for his clients and is a real bruiser in court.’
Legal 500
Private Client Global Elite
Legal Week
Global Leader
The “impressive” James Dickinson is popular with clients, who say: “He stands out in Jersey as a first-rate litigator. He is fastidious about the details of his cases and considers issues from every angle.”
Who’s Who Legal
Asset Recovery Directory
Litigation Directory
2016 - 2017
Leading Individual
“The “ferociously bright” James Dickinson is highlighted by market sources for his “extraordinarily hard-working” nature. He offers particular expertise in contentious trust and estate matters, with additional strengths in insolvency, fraud and company disputes.”
Chambers & Partners
Leaders List
“James thrives on complex heavy cases. He always acquires a comprehensive command of his cases and is an insightful tactician. His strong and incisive advice always benefits clients.”
Citywealth
Leading Individual
“…collaborative and a superb tactician.”
Legal 500
Private Client Global Elite
Legal Week
Global Leader
Who’s Who Legal
Asset Recovery Directory
Litigation Directory
2015 - 2016
Leading Individual
“Very thorough and concerned both about checking the fine detail as well as making sure we see the bigger picture. His written work is excellent and he is an effective advocate. As a client you know that he is willing to go the extra mile for you.”James Dickinson is a Partner of Dickinson Gleeson and an Advocate of the Royal Court of Jersey.
James has lived and worked in Jersey for the last 15 years. During that time James has acted for clients involved in some of the largest and most complex proceedings to come before the Royal Court.
Chambers & Partners
Leaders List
“James is a shrewd tactician and forms a perceptive and insightful strategic view of the overall case.”
Citywealth
Leading Individual
“…collaborative and a superb tactician.”
Legal 500
Private Client Global Elite
Legal Week
2014 - 2015
Leading Individual
“Impressively hard-working, measured, focused, creative, and ready to set new standards,”
“He does not take things at face value, and will always seek to improve a situation for the benefit of his client.”
Chambers & Partners
Leaders List
Citywealth
Leading Individual
“Highly intelligent, very commercial and excellent with strategy.”
Legal 500
2013 - 2014
“Excellent contentious trusts expertise…”
Chambers & Partners
Leaders List
Citywealth
“…measured, astute and tactically first rate.”
Legal 500
2012 - 2013
“A clear-thinking analytical lawyer.”
Chambers & Partners
Leaders List
Citywealth
“Identifies the relevant legal principles quickly.”
Legal 500
2011 - 2012
“Incredibly hard-working.”
Chambers & Partners
Leaders List
Citywealth
“He gains the confidence of demanding clients in large-scale litigation.”
Legal 500
2008 - 2009
Litigation Associate to Watch
“Peers remark: “He has had some very difficult cases, which he has handled very very well.”
Chambers & Partners
2007 - 2008
Litigation Associate to Watch
“Thorough and professional.”
Chambers & Partners